Method of making an artificial flame log assembly



March 6, 1951 P. MUNAO ETAL METHOD OF MAKING AN ARTIFICIAL FLAME LOGASSEMBLY Filed Aug. 6, 1948 HIEMM Y INVENTORJ PHILIP MUHAO y CARMELO C.MUNAO (C5 $772751? Patented Mar. 6, 1951 METHOD OF MAKING AN ARTIFICIALFLAME LOG ASSEMBLY Philip Munaoand Carmelo C. Munao, Brooklyn, N. Y.

Original application May 15, 1946, Serial No. 670,005. Divided and thisapplication August 6, 1948, Serial No. 42,885

6 Claims. 1

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in a method ofconstructing an imitation flame for use in a fireplace or other similaruse. This application is a division of our co-pending application SerialNo. 670,005 filed May 15, 1946, now U. S. Patent No. 2,448,906 grantedSeptember '7, 1948. 1

More particularly, the present invention proposes a novel method ofconstructing an imitation flame from a plurality of parallelsuperimposed logs joined in a novel method by a resinous plasticmaterial arranged in a manner so that when the assembly is positionedover a light source the resinous plastic material will act to convey thelight rays about the logs to illuminate the resinous plastic materialthroughout giving the appearance of a flame.

Still further, the invention proposes allowing the molten resinousplastic material to drip from the assembly While being applied andduring hardening of the resinous plastic material in a manner to providethe resinous plastic material with imitation flame tips.

A further object of the invention proposes so positioning the logsrelative to each other that spaces between the logs will be filled withthe resinous plastic material during application in a manner to formentrance points for the light rays from the light source located beneaththe logs.

Still another object of the present invention proposes coloring the topsurface of the resinous plastic material upon completion of itssolidification in a manner to produce a completed flame structure whichwill have a more realistic appearance when illuminated.

Another object of the present invention proposes positioning rods ofresinous plastic material between the adjacent faces of the logs in amanner to become embedded in the resinous plastic flame material to,assist the same in bending the light rays about the sides of the logs.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a method ofconstructing an imitation flame for use in fireplaces and other placeswhich is simple and durable and which may be easily Fig. 3 is aperspective view of a modified form of imitation flame constructed inaccordance with the method of the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line 5-5 ofFig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view similar to Fig. 5, but illustratingan imitation flane constructed in accordance with a further modificationof the method of the present invention.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 'l'l of Fig. 6.

The imitation flame, according to theform of the invention illustratedin Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, includes three logs [0, H and 12 ar-.

ranged pyramid fashion with a space I3 between the adjacent sides of thetwo lowermost logs l0 and I2. These logs [0, II and I2 might be actualwooden logs cut to the proper length or may be fashioned of a ceramicmaterial or artificially made of any other desired material.

The logs Ill, II and I 2 are joined together in a novel manner by asynthetic resin material [4 fashioned to resemble flames. The assembledconstruction is adapted to be rested on a base l5, shown in dot and dashlines in Fig. 2, and the base I5 is preferably provided with a source oflight l6; such as an electric light bulb, extended into the space I3between the logs l0 and I2.

The synthetic resin material I4 is preferably the methyl methacrylatepolymer or copolymer commercially known as Lucite or Plexiglas; however,it may be any of the other known synthetic plastic materials having theability to bend light rays without the rays passing through the sidewalls of the curved synthetic resin material.

The resin material It is so applied that it has an end portion 14directed toward the light source is between the adjacent sides of thelogs H and I2 and a second end portion M directed toward the lightsource beneath the log [0. These end portions of the synthetic resinmaterial M are adapted to receive the light rays from the light sourceIt and convey them about the sides of the logs and illuminate the entiresynthetic resin material flame formation.

In formingthe imitation flame, the logs Ill, I I and [2 are arranged inpyramid fashion and the synthetic resin material I4 is poured over the'logs in a liquid or semi-liquid state.

The logs are then inverted and while the liquid synthetic resin materialis solidifying it is allowed to drip from the mass thereof forming thedesired flame tips. If desired, the formation of the flame tips may beaided by manually shaping the synthetic resin material just prior to thetime that it becomes entirely solidified, but this is not absolutelyessential, as desirable flame tips have been formed by the drippingresin material without manual formation.

It has been found that the appearance of the completed imitation flamecan be greatly enhanced by coloring the surface of the solidifiedsynthetic material [4 so as to provide an interesting and attractiveillusionary pattern.

In the modification of the invention shown in Figs. 3 to 5, theconstruction of the imitation flame is similar to that previouslydescribed, except that the synthetic resin material M has a third endportion l4 directed toward the light source l6 between the adjacentsides of the logs l9 and H. This additional end portion [4 aids inilluminating the interior of the flame-like formation.

In other respects this form of the invention is similarto thatpreviously described and like reference numerals identify like parts in.each of the several views.

.In themodification of the invention shown in Figs. 6 and 7, theconstruction of the imitation flame is similar to that illustratedinFigs. 3 to '5, except that the synthetic resin material I4" has itsend portion Me, between .the logs H and i2, and its-end portion I lbetween the logs 110 and I l provided with curved rods .l'! of syntheticresin :of the synthetic resin material M" or may be pressed into thesynthetic resin material 14" while still in asemi-solid state.

In other respects this latter form .of the in- =vention is similar tothat shown in Figs. 3 to 5 and like reference numerals identify likeparts in the-several views.

In addition to methyl methacrylate other substances which have beenfound suitable for the .formation of the flame or the rods 11 in theform of the invention disclosedin Figs. 6 and '7, are ethyl cellulose,polyethylene, vinylidene chloride,

any transparent plastic celluloid or any other U transparent organic orinorganic polymer.w

.From the foregoing description it .is apparent that .a very attractiveproduct producing the de- :sired effect can be readily made inaccordance with this invention, and that the resulting product isinexpensive and can be made with a minimum expenditure of time andeffort from relatively "inexpensive and readily available machinery andraw materials.

While we have illustrated and described-the preferred embodiments of ourinvention, it is to be understood that we do not limit ourselves to theprecise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to allchanges and modifications coming within the scope of the invention asdefined in the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by United States LettersPatent is:

.1. A method of making an artificial flame log assembly, which consistsin arranging a plurality of logs pyramid fashion, leaving a spacebetween the adjacent sides of the lowermost logs for a source of light,applying a synthetic resin mate- These rods l! are curved to extendplane of the round cross-section of the logs 4 rial "to the logs in aliquid or semi-liquid state, in-' verting the logs and alldwing thesynthetic resin material to drip therefrom while solidifying to formflame tips, and coloring the surface of the solidified synthetic resinmaterial.

'2. A method of making an artificial flame log assembly, which consistsin arranging a plurality of .logs pyramid fashion, leaving a spacebetween the adjacent sides of the lowermost logs for a source of light,applying a synthetic resin material to the logs in a liquid orsemi-liquid state, inverting the logs so that the synthetic resinmaterial will drop therefrom while solidifying to form flame tips, andcoloring the surface of the solidified synthetic resin material, andshaping theflame tips manually while the synthetic resin material issolidifying. 3. .A method of making an artificial flame 10g assembly,which consists in covering a log structure with a viscous liquidmaterial, bringing said liquid material into an almost rigid plasticstate while it is slowly dripping from said log structure, andformingthe material remaining on said log structure to make it even moreflame-like in shape.

4. A method of making an artificial jfiame log assembly, which consistsin covering a log structure with a viscous liquid material, bringingsaid liquid material into an almost rigid plastic state while .it isslowly dripping from said log structure, forming the material remainingon said log structure to make it even more flame-like in shape, andcovering-said shaped structure with coloring matter to give it flamecoloring.

5. A method of making an artificial flame leg assembly, which consistsin covering a log structure with a viscous'liquid material, bringingsaid liquid material into an almost rigid plastic state while it isslowly dripping fromsaid log structure, and forming the materialremaining on said log structure to make .it even more flame-like in.shape,..and.interspersing rods of synthetic plastic .material into themain body of plastic material.

6. A method of making an artificial flame log assembly, which consistsin covering a log structure-with .a viscous liquid material, bringingsaid liquid material .into an almost rigid plastic state .while it isslowly dripping fromsaid log structure, and forming the materialremaining on said .log structure to make it even more flame-like inshape, and interspersing rods of synthetic plastic material into themain body of plastic material, .the length of said rods being parallelto .the .m

saidstructure.

- PHIILIP MUNAO.

CARMELO C. MUN-A0.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the fileofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 310,441 Kellerman .Jan. 6, 18851,428,940 .Brinker Sept. 12, 1922 1,432,942 Zei Oct. 24, 1922 1,827,941Gross Oct. 20, 1931 2,316,589 Iwanowicz Apr. 13, 1943 2,448,906 MunaoSept. 7, 1948 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date "480,098 Great BritainFeb. .16, 1938

1. A METHOD OF MAKING AN ARTIFICIAL FLAME LOG ASSEMBLY, WHICH CONSISTSIN ARRANGING A PLURALITY OF LOGS PYRAMID FASHION, LEAVING A SPACEBETWEEN THE ADJACENT SIDES OF THE LOWERMOST LOGS FOR A SOURCE OF LIGHTAPPLYING A SYNTHETIC RESIN MATERIAL TO THE LOGS IN A LIQUID ORSEMI-LIQUID STATE, INVERTING THE LOGS AND ALLOWING THE SYNTHETIC RESINMATERIAL TO DRIP THEREFROM WHILE SOLIDIFYING TO FORM FLAME TIPS, ANDCOLORING THE SURFACE OF THE SOLIDIFIED SYNTHETIC RESIN MATERIAL.